Intel keynote speech: Santa Rosa and more

Intel’s keynote speech briefly looked at Santa Rosa, as well as what they’re working on and are hoping to bring to market in the next couple of years. Here's the highlights.

Reliability: Working with HP and Microsoft, Intel have improved reliability, and even addressed the dreaded Blue Screen of Death. If you’re faced with a situation where you’ve got the blue screen, and so your OS isn’t working, coupled with the fact that there’s no physical network connection, your IT support are still able to remotely access your computer. They can debug and restart, as long as there’s WiFi.

Connections: 802.11n is used, which allows you to stream up to 4 high definition videos to 4 separate computers at 200 mbps. That’s 5 or 6 times the performance of 802.11g. This is aimed at helping out in that famous ‘wireless home’.

WiMAX: Only 16 countries have over 5% broadband penetration and 141 countries have less than 1% penetration. WiMAX should address this, since it’s cheap and can be used over great distances. In a year or two, WiMAX will be included in all Intel chips, as well as 802.11 a/b/g/n which is currently available.

Mcape. It’s all about innovation, baby

Mscape. HP are pretty chuffed with themselves that they’ve come up with this. It’s in Beta at the moment, but the idea is you can use any Windows Mobile PDA with GPS, to collect relevant information about your surroundings. So, depending on where you are, you can play games, listen to music or watch videos, all of which are relevant to where you are. It’s already been tested at the Tower of London, where people could play games relating to the site (presumably involving beheading royalty). HP is going to provide a toolkit which can not only be used by professional developers, but also consumers, so you can create your own experiences.

It’s based along similar lines to Google World, where you can read other people’s notes. Flickr do a location based search, where you can look at what other people have been taking around the world. And now, HP think they’ve cracked converging all this media. You can check it out at www.mscapers.com where you can download mediascapes HP and third parties have created, as well as create your own.

HP Making Connections Conference: The Beginning

So, I’m here, I’m awake and I’m ready to hear all about the HP goodies that we’re about to be told about. The key note is due to start in a second, but in the meantime, here’s what the press releases are telling us:
• There are going to be 13 different notebooks launched over the next two days.
• There’s one big consumer notebook launch
• There’s one big business notebook launch
• Mscape’s going to be a focus.
• HP wants to get in on the video on your mobile act, and they’ve developed three programs they’re going to sell on to operators to make the whole thing simple.
Now the keynote has started, and as per, there’s graphics a-go-go, and in the first 30 seconds, we’ve been told that HP is the largest technology brand in the world. Go them!
The vice president has just told us a long story about how the way to a man’s heart is through the stomach. He apparently believes that the way to a man’s wallet is through the heart, which leads me to believe the only logical conclusion is that perhaps HP are going to start giving away Pot Noodles with their laptops.

Finally, apologies for the lack of pictures. For some bizarre reason, they're not releasing them til the end of the day, despite announcing products this morning.

Shiny Video: Shanghai Susi makes a connection with HP

I'm in Shanghai at the HP 'Making Connections' Summit (also the World Capital of Quite Convincing Fake Designer Goods). It's all due to kick off on Wednesday, but there have been a few rumours doing the rounds this week on just what they're going to announce. I muse over such things in the hotel room.

3GSM: a first look at the LG Prada phone

We know the specs, we know the hype, but what's it like seeing the Prada phone in the flesh? I took a very brief look at it, which it is now my pleasure to share with you. Overall impressions are that this is not the phone I thought it was - it's better. Designer partnerships have a habit of being a bit gimmicky in the mobile phone world, but Prada seem to have really been involved from the beginning, rather than sticking their logo on at the end. And there really is no sign of a keypad - it's touchscreen in the truest sense of the word. Yes, it's true, I'm a little bit in love.

Windows Vista Launch, London - Bill Gates Speech 3 (the one where they talk about libraries and we see The Feeling)

Still both yapping on about this new 'Turning The Pages' program that the Library can use with Vista, we're 'treated' to a short film about da Vinci, his manuscripts, and what several key historians think of the involvement with Microsoft. She announces a competition hosted by the Library, which will give away several copies of the 'Turning the Pages' program to schools in the UK, worth over £10,000 each.

Cynthia Crossley approaches the stage, the director of the UK Windows Client Business Group. Apparently Microsoft have spent years gathering feedback from beta testers, adapting the operating system many times, always taking onboard the tips from users. According to Cynthia, one in three homes in Britain own a computer, and they want to connect all these people, allowing people to get connected, and literally 'wow' them.

Windows Vista Launch London - Bill Gates Speech (the one where Kat gets it on with Bill)

Yawn. It's 10.15, they're running late, and still playing Razorlight. Still, I guess that's better than an Apple presentation, where they would no doubt blast your poor, defenseless ears with U2 and The Gorillaz. While I've got a few minutes to spare, I'll fill you in on who else will be speaking today. After The Feeling leave the stage, there will be a 15 minute demonstration of Vista, and Microsoft Office System. Admittedly I'm far more excited about checking out Vista some more, but the thrill of this being the first time since 1995 where an OS and Office package have been released together is pretty groovy. Once Vista has been shown off some more, bandied about like a trophy wife, there'll be a demonstration of partner applications created by Easyjet, Franklin Covey, BetFair, IMG, Universal Music, ITN, and the British Library.

Ooh! It's begun! Several TV screens are blaring loud noise and images of Vista being used, juxtaposed with images of kids playing football, monks in Asia walking around a river, business men making phone calls, and families using the new IPTV system, which Gates will no doubt mention...

Windows Vista Launch, London - Bill Gates Speech (the one where Kat waits for it to begin)

Here I am, yet again waiting in a queue to see the great Bill Gates. For the second time in less than a month, I'm privileged enough to attend a keynote speech made by the founder of Microsoft, possibly The Most Amazing Man In The World. Stop quivering there, Apple fanboys, I used to be amongst the hordes of bespectacled (black square frames, natch) Steve Jobs worshippers, only I soon came to my senses. Thank goodness for that.

The time is now 9.50am, and we've been ushered into the auditorium of the conference centre at the British Library. There're probably only 80 seats here at most, a far cry from Gates' speech at Las Vegas' Venetian hotel earlier this month, which had close to a thousand people in attendance.

I now have a schedule for the day - in 5 minutes Gordon Frazer, the managing director of Microsoft UK, will take to the stage, and introduce ol' Bill. Gates, that is. He will speak for 20 minutes about the digital reunification of the Leonardo da Vinci Codices, whatever that may have to do with Vista! After that, the slightly crap-tastic band The Feeling will come on, and blather about the wonders of this new OS, no doubt secretly planning what to spend their high guest appearance fee on. Bet it's not going to be Vista, more like more pairs of skinny jeans and Converse.